蝶は飛ぶ :Butterfly Wings
by InsaneDreamer
Summary: Reality into Fantasy, Fantasy into Reality. Kenshin, Yahiko, and Sano are gone leaving Kaoru in a state of mental insanity. Her mind floats away like a butterfly while her body stays behind with her grieving friends. FULL SUMMARY INSIDE.
1. Butterfly

**_Chapter 1: Reality _**

**Summary: They were gone. And now Kaoru's mind is like a butterfly. Fluttering in the wind while her body is left there to be taken care of. Reality becomes fantasy and Fantasy becomes reality for young Kaoru. No longer can she understand who she is, the only thing she can feel is loneliness and pain. So she sits there waiting, and when they finally come back will they help her understand who she is and what she is becoming. **

Author's Note: Most of you know that Sano leaves for other countries after the revenge arc but in my fic he just leaves to travel around Japan. Also Kenshin can still use the Hiten Mitsurugi.

Time: This is set 1 year after the Revenge Arc and the boys left 4 months after the revenge arc.

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**_2 months before the next year _**

"I'm sorry I didn't get her faster. How is she?" A young woman in her early twenties said. Black hair fell to her waist and brown eyes stared sadly at the older man in front of her. He stared back sadly at her as well as they both turned to look at the once fresh and alive Kamiya Dojo. It had now become a quiet windblown and dirty house. Dead leaves and rotting plants growing all around the house. The once nice shoji doors falling apart.

"It is alright, it takes a long time for a letter to reach Aoyia and even longer for it to reach a doctor. But I am glad you are here Megumi." He said staring at the dojo. Megumi nodded and with Dr.Genzai they opened the gate and walked to the front of the house.

"Kaoru? Kaoru?" Dr.Genzai called looking for the young woman. Sitting slouched over a dirty table with scraggly looking black hair in her face was Kamiya Kaoru. The once proud and cheerful kendo instructor of this dojo.

Now she sat there with dirty hair and a pale face. Her kimono was falling apart seam by seam and her feet had cuts and marks from not wearing sandals or socks. Looking slightly at them Megumi could see the once sparkling with life sapphire colored eyes where now dull blue. Her eyes dilated and strange looking. A small thin line replaced the happy sparkling smile that Kaoru use to always wear.

"Hey Tanuki, heard you where a mess. What's wrong with you! Look it's almost winter and you're a mess." Megumi said softly trying to wipe some dirt of Kaoru's face with a napkin she brought. Kaoru just stared at her with blank eyes and Megumi tried to sit her up. Genzai helped her by holding Kaoru up.

"Kaoru-Chan, come on talk to me. You look like some ugly doll!" Megumi teased with a hint of desperation in her voice. Kaoru just tilted her head and looked away. A wave of cold air came in and Genzai testing Kaoru on her own stood up and closed it. Kaoru fell over weakly and Megumi looked as if she was to burst into tears.

"I don't understand why she is like this? Doctor all the messenger told me was that Kaoru wasn't feeling well and you needed me!" Megumi said as she tried to get Kaoru to sit up. All she did was slouch on to the table like a lifeless doll. It would seem as if she was lifeless if it wasn't for the fact that she was breathing.

"She is unwell, her mind is at least. It has floated away disappearing. It happened because of them." Dr.Genzai started and Megumi looked up at him expectantly. Waiting for the story to come and gathering Kaoru in her arms to let the smaller girl lay against her lap.

"Slowly it seemed she fell down a deep spiral. At first she began to forget things, easy things she did everyday. Example, going to the market for food, or even forgetting to practice kendo. Then it was forgetting to change and sometimes she would lay around the house doing nothing but staring into face. Soon she stopped eating, and sometimes always slept. Sleeping for hours on end. Then when she was awake she would stare off in to space. Sometimes she would talk and if you forced her to eat she would, sometimes. Finally this she suddenly shut herself inside. Not responding to anything or anyone. She stopped moving; no she stopped everything except breathing. I fear though she might start to stop that as well if we don't stop her." He said softly looking at the young 19 year old.

"I don't know why she was effective, I don't understand! They only left and didn't they promise to be back?" Megumi said in a tight clipped voice as her hands clenched hard.

"All of them except for Himura-san." He added softly and her eyes suddenly softened and her right hand uncurled petting the girl lightly on her head.

"What can we do? What can I do?" she said hugging Kaoru suddenly to her. Kaoru didn't make any movement and did not react in anyway to show she felt the hug from her friend. Unshed Tears shone in Megumi's eyes.

"Nothing, she can only help herself. We can only help her with her physical needs." Dr.Genzai stated in a sad tone. He looked at the young girl he had taken care of since she was very young. A girl who use to look up at him with bright and shining eyes and state in her cute young voice;

_"One day I'm going to be the best Kendo Instructor in the world. Then I'm going to marry a handsome prince and live happily ever after!" _

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_Beautiful, it was all so gorgeous. Millions of flowers in the arms of her love. Sitting in the arms of the one she loved. Hearing the dojo and house bustling with noise and happy students. A beautiful butterfly flying and poising on her hand. Everything she would ever want. A house filled with loud children and students eagerly waiting to be taught. _

_"Hey Busu! Help me!" laughed an older Yahiko with a kendo stick in his hand. Kaoru looked at him and smiled brightly and then hurled her own stick at him. _

_"Shut up and don't call me Busu!" she yelled and laughed slightly as he yelped. Behind her Kenshin stood and smiled his usual smile. He then walked off to go do the laundry. Inside the house Sano and Megumi where bickering loudly. Yet the place was filled with delicious smells of food. _

_"Mommy!" screamed a young red headed boy who jumped into Kaoru's arms. She lifted him up laughing. He jumped down and ran to the porch where a quieter younger girl sat. Blackish blue tinted hair covered her eyes. The boy was shaking the girl and laughing. Trying to make her play with him. She just sat there quietly drinking tea and poured some for her brother who ignored her. _

_"Leave Kaoren alone Kenji!" she yelled at him and Kenshin chuckled behind her. The boy pouted and ran to the dojo. _

_Kaoru closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Everything was so alive and so wonderful. Everything perfect and just the way she wanted it right? So why did she feel as if something was missing? Something wasn't right and everything couldn't be this perfect. She shook it off and just smiled. _

_**"Hey Tanuki, heard you where a mess. What's wrong with you? It's almost winter and you're a mess." came the soft voice of Megumi. She felt her cheek get wiped. **_

_Kaoru looked around panicking and she backed up a bit. "Kaoru are you alright?" Kenshin asked wrapping his arms around her and she tried to nod but she was taken over by dizziness and a sense of the world spinning. _

_"**Finally she just stopped talking." came broken up voices. **_

**_"What can we do? What can I do?" _**

**_"Nothing, she can only help herself. All we can do is help her with her physical needs." _**

_The world spun and she felt blackness takeover her. _

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**_Don't make me go back to a world, I don't understand. Please I'm afraid of it. That thing. _**

**_The thing that haunts me. It scares me, the eternal darkness. _**

**_The pain in my chest, what is it? It feels like loneliness. _**

**_Don't make me feel this, please. _**

**_Someone save me! _**

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**_Present Day _**

"Are you hungry, Kaoru-Chan?" Megumi asked kneeling beside her friend who lay at the table. The dojo had been cleaned, actually the whole house. For the past two months Megumi had spent here she had done everything for Kaoru. Helped her eat, cleaned the house, went to the market, cooked and hell even helped her to the bathroom. She bathed Kaoru and she spoke to her all her thoughts.

In return all she got was a silent nobody. All she got was silence and it twisted her heart. The silence of the dojo and house. It made her think that this is what Kaoru had to look forward to everyday before she and the other guys met her. No wonder before Kaoru use to work until she collapsed just so she had enough money to pay for everyone. Who would want to listen to a silent house?

Shaking her head from her thoughts Megumi positioned Kaoru to lean against a wall as she took the chopsticks in her hand and grasped some rice and fish. She positioned it to fall into Kaoru's mouth. Slowly she forced Kaoru to chew it by grasping her jaw and using some tea to slide it down her throat by tilting her head back. She continued doing this until the bowl of rice and fish was gone along with the tea. Megumi then wiped her face with a napkin.

"Good Tanuki, let's get you dressed now shall we?" Megumi said standing up and wiping her hands. She then started the painstaking task of changing Kaoru into a dark blue kimono. Finishing she pulled Kaoru's arm around her shoulders and half dragged half walked the young woman to the porch.

She winced as her knees buckled and she fell hitting her knees hard against the hard wood. Propping up Kaoru against the shoji doors she left the young woman to bask in the warm glow of sunlight. Wind blew around gently wiping Kaoru's lose hair around. Sighing when she saw no reaction from Kaoru she turned and began getting her own self ready. She changed into a green kimono and took her own breakfast outside next to Kaoru.

The wind blew softly against the young woman. The morning was quiet and peaceful. The laundry was waving around and the Sakura tree was in full bloom. Megumi tucked a hair behind Kaoru's ear as she stared blankly in to the yard. Still after 2 months Kaoru still acted like a porcelain doll. At times even looked like it. Her black hair falling over her shoulders and waist. Sapphire eyes blank against her pale ivory skin. She was always propped up against something and her hands in lap. Except for breathing you couldn't tell she was alive. If you felt her, she felt cold and if you stared into her eyes they looked blank and dead.

"Aunty Megumi! Aunty Megumi!" yelled the small echoing voices of Suzume and Ayame Genzai. Megumi looked over and gave them a smile. The little children ran over cutely.

"Hello Suzume and Ayame! Does Dr.Genzai have a message for me?" Megumi said petting them on the head. They looked shyly around her towards Kaoru. Over the past year ever since Kaoru started to withdraw, she had become colder to them and now it was strange to see there beloved Kaoru staring at them blankly. In Suzume's words "Creepy!"

"Yeah! Yeah! Aunty Misao and two weird guys are with her!" Ayame said excitedly and Suzume echoed the words as well. Megumi looked surprised and was about to reply when she heard a loud yell coming from the pathway.

"I AM NOT A WEASEL! TELL HIM AOSHI-SAMA!" cried the loud voice of Makimachi Misao. Megumi made the motion for the little girls that they can go. They skipped along the path back home. Megumi stood up and dusted herself. She positioned Kaoru to be hidden behind a shoji door a little. Then she walked to the gate, waiting for them to come.

"MEGUMI!" yelled Misao breaking away from her fight with a certain amber eyed wolf. Megumi smirked at Misao happy to tease anyone.

"So weasel come to visit? Hello Shinomori-san, and to good day I guess Saitou-san." Megumi said slightly smirking at Misao's enraged expression. Aoshi and Saitou nodded coolly at her.

"I AM NOT A WEASEL!" screamed Misao jumping up and down. Shaking her head she turned to the other two.

"May I ask what you two gentlemen need?" Megumi asked ignoring the screaming girl.

"Where is Kamiya I've got letters for her. These two are visiting." Saitou said quite curtly flashing letters. Misao didn't notice but the two men did. Megumi flinched when she heard Kaoru's name. No one knew about Kaoru's current state except for a few select people. Meaning they didn't know as well.

Caught up in her thought, she didn't notice Misao yank open the gate and skip in. "KAORU-CHAN! MISAO IS HERE!" she yelled smiling she neared the porch and Megumi reached for her braid but was held back by Aoshi. They looked at each other and then Megumi looked at the ground.

"Kaoru?" Misao said in a softer voice as she pulled back the shoji door. Her eyes widened to see Kaoru sitting there staring blankly at her. Her back was leaned against the shoji doors and her face blank. She looked like a doll version of Kaoru.

"Megumi! What's wrong Kaoru?" Misao said and the other two men looked at her with the same face. Megumi sighed and motioned them to follow her.

She poured them tea and began the story of Kaoru's fall of grace. As they sat there drinking tea while the wind blew gently.

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_"Mommy is going to be okay, right?" Kenji asked leaning on his mother's futon. Kaoren was in the corner sitting quietly. Kaoru smiled and patted him on the head. _

_"Of course I just feel weird right now that's all!" Kaoru said and looked up and her husband and friends. _

_"Misao-Chan! Eii! That means Aoimi and Michi is here!" Kaoru exclaimed smiling at her one of her best friends. Immediately Misao pushed past the men and knelt beside Kaoru and they began chatting. _

_Kenshin looked at his wife with a smile and turned back to the others. They had come at a visit and it was a nice surprise. Kaoru hadn't been feeling well lately. He was glad that she was up and happy again. He couldn't stand seeing her in pain. _

_"MOMMY!" cried Kenji. It was mixed with Misao's own "KAORU!" Kenshin ran to her side and Kaoru buried her face in her hands. _

_The feeling was back, the dizziness. Those voices and everything was blurring. _

_**"When Kenshin left she began to close herself up. Especially since Yahiko and Sano also left to get him." **_

**_"WHAT? THOSE JERKS!" _**

**_"Didn't mean too..." _**

**_"Promise..." _**

**_"Promise?" _**

_"Kenshin! Please don't leave!" she suddenly cried out and Kenshin reached for her rocking her back and forth. _

_"Of course not koishii." he muttered into her hair. _

_"PROMISE!" she said loudly holding to him as if her life depended on it. Yet he stayed silent for a minute. He rocked her for a while, but he never said "promise". _

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**Reality **

"So she's been like this the whole time?" Aoshi said quietly and Megumi nodded. Kaoru's head lay in her lap and Megumi was unconsciously stroking her hair. Misao had big tears in her eyes and looked as if she was to rip Sano, Yahiko and especially Kenshin apart.

"Yeah, she hasn't muttered a word or anything." Megumi replied looking away from them. Saitou had a lighted cigarette but no one made any comment.

"Humph, she should just get over the fact he's gone. Here is the letters. I have to go." Saitou said coldly flicking a pack of letters to the ground as he stood up. Misao glared at him for being so cold hearted but she didn't see what Aoshi and Megumi saw. He gave those letters in hope maybe the Tanuki might feel better. They had a feeling he actually had a small liking for the girl.

"Thank you." Megumi said as he walked away hoping he caught her hidden message. He waved a hand with out even looking back. Soon he was gone.

"I want to stay here and help too!" Misao suddenly blurted out and the attention was suddenly on her. Two no's where her response.

"You can't, I can handle it on my own!" Megumi with her own reason behind it. She knew it would break Misao if she had to watch Kaoru like this. Misao was use to a warm house with noise, seeing the silence and coldness would break her.

"No, you are to return to Kyoto with me." Aoshi said curtly with his own reason. One was because he had promised Okina that he would bring her back and second because of his own private reason.

"Please! Please it won't break me and Okina will understand. I'll be strong I promise!" Misao said with begging face. "It seems the weasel is smarter then we think." Megumi thought. She looked at Aoshi at the corner of her eye. He sighed inwardly and nodded his approval knowing she was right.

"Fine, for me as well but we will have a lot of work to do!" Megumi said sternly and Misao nodded eagerly. Aoshi looked away and stood up.

"I have to catch the train to Kyoto. I have things to do." He said quietly and turned. Misao looked torn between helping Megumi get Kaoru to sit in the living room and going with Aoshi to say goodbye. Apparently the story had taken a while and the sun was now dwindling down. Megumi rolled her eyes and motioned the young girl to go.

"Goodbye Aoshi-sama!" Misao called as she ran to the gate and waved goodbye. All she got in return was a nod. Misao sighed and leaned against the gate. "When will he figure out I'm not a child anymore?" she thought.

"MISAO!" yelled Megumi from inside the house. She turned and ran inside to find Megumi holding a letter and panicking. Kaoru was lying limp on the table. Megumi began pacing and she looked at her oddly.

"What's wrong Megumi?" Misao asked confused. Megumi threw the letter at her.

_Dear Kaoru-dono, _

_Sessha would like to say, I am sorry I had to leave and not tell you. It seems the government really needed Sessha that they did. I with Sano and Yahiko will be coming back in three days. That Sessha can promise. _

_Kenshin. _

Misao glanced at the letter and gasped. The letter was dated yesterday, meaning he was coming back tomorrow. Misao looked confused at Megumi who was panicking. She didn't understand. Wasn't this a good thing? Wouldn't this help Kaoru? She voiced her questions out loud. Megumi spun around towards her.

"Help her? Misao not only could this break her. It could break all three of those men! Who will they blame, Misao? Them selves of course!" cried Megumi grabbing her hair. Misao's eyes widened and she suddenly realized the same thing as Megumi.

"What are we going to do?" Misao cried back to her. The girls began to pace and pace.

"Nothing, Nothing." Megumi muttered to herself and Misao nodded. Both of them couldn't think of a thing.

"We just have to let them see her. Maybe it will do the opposite and help Kaoru-Chan. She needs a little hope, you need a little hope. Should we feed her now?" Misao said leaning down and hesitantly reaching out to Kaoru. Megumi opened her mouth to reply but she knew nothing could match that. She hoped to the gods that they would be able to save the raven haired kendo instructor.

Right now the two girls had to worry about the young woman lying on the table. She was sleeping now and they needed to feed her.

**888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888 **

**Butterflies float above the ground but never to high. **

**They go where they please and signal happiness. **

**But they are easy to crush. **

**Ever so easy. **

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**A/N: I'm sorry if I'm starting a new story to soon. Also thank you for reading, please review. Again thank you for reading and I'm sorry if I don't make sense or if things where to hurried along. **


	2. The Hitokiri, The Tori, The Brat

蝶は飛ぶ: Butterfly Wings

**_Chapter 2: The Hitokiri, the Tori, the Brat_**

**_By Insane Dreamer_**

_Red Violin-san: Thank you for reviewing, your words were very kind._

_evilalternateendingstorywriter-san: Thank you very much for your words they are very motivating._

_Lost in the Rain-san: Thank you for your review it was very kind. You are very good with your words and know how to motivate a person. Also the answer to your question is. She and Kenshin aren't really married. She's just imagining it._

_blooded wyngs-san: Thank you for your review. And to answer your question I forgot to put this in the last chapter but the two boys promised to be back in a month or so with Kenshin. Of course as I said they've been gone for 6 months. Also actually there was a final straw that Genzai did not mention. You will have to read to find out what it was._

_Jade Lotus: Thank you for your kind review and thank you for being my first reviewer. Don't worry it will be incredibly hard for the guys to get her back to normal._

_Also thank you to those who read this, even if you didn't review. Though this time I would very much like it if you did review. _

**_A/N This is the next part... _**

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Misao was going to go crazy soon. Absolutely, incredibly crazy, so crazy she'd thought she would end up killing everyone. What was the source of this? Well our very own Kitsune, the ever so foxy Megumi. It seems Megumi went a bit crazy when she was worried. She had made Misao clean the house twice, change Kaoru 5 times, and bathe her 3 times already. She had made her run, back and forth to town. Megumi had even forced her to take 2 bathes and change 3 times.

Currently Megumi was pacing back and forth, smothering the nonexistent wrinkles on her kimono. Kaoru was sleeping in her room. Misao was trying to eat her lunch. Apparently Megumi didn't like how Misao ate. She muttered a short "sit up straight" or "that's not how you hold your chopsticks." It was driving Misao insane. So she slouched sometimes when she ate. Okay so occasionally she'd drop things from her chopsticks because of her clumsy handling of them, but she DID NOT need to be reminded of them every 2 minutes.

"THAT'S IT!" yelled Misao as she slammed her bowl down and threw her chopsticks. Megumi jumped slightly and took a deep breath.

"Sorry, Sorry. I'm nervous. Dammit, when will they get here? What time did they say? I'll beat them for this and then nurse them back to health and then beat them some more for doing this to me!" Megumi said making pounding noises as she slammed her fist into her other hand.

"Look Megumi, I know you are nervous. I'm nervous as well, alright! But do you see it getting to me? Do you see me acting like I'm going to go insane? No, so sit down, calm down and eat your lunch! Then maybe I can eat mine!" Misao ordered in a voice that echoed maturity and calmness.

For the first time it dawned upon Megumi as her body reacted to Misao and sat down grabbing her own food. Misao was different from that weasel she had met two years ago. This little girl had grown up into a young woman. Though at first glance Misao seemed like the hyper little kid she was before but now some how if you looked again maybe you'd catch that growth in her. She now had a small maturity around her. A small sense of calmness. Misao had defiantly grown up.

"Good!" Misao said cheerfully smiling brightly when she saw that Megumi was eating.

"Don't treat like I am a child. Weasel-Chan!" Megumi laughed giving the now turning red girl a smirk.

"Shut up Kitsune!" Misao growled back and Megumi was glad suddenly that she hadn't grown up fully. "She probably never will. It'll be good for her to stay this way. We need people like her to remind us of being young." Megumi thought silently as she watched the fuming girl as she attacked her food with chopsticks.

They ate in silence enjoying the nice bright day. Judging by the sun Megumi guessed it was around noon or so. Maybe a little past. The wind blew gently today and clouds danced across the sky. The sun shone brightly upon the dojo. The place looked nice, but not half as nice as it would have been, thought the two women, if there were the usual loud noises of the angry Tanuki and the bratty boy. Not half as nice as it would have been if there was a loud "oro" filling the air or the bickering sounds of a kitsune and tori fighting.

But still it was nice. The calming sounds of quiet birds. The cool breeze the helped cool down the heat from the burning sun. The beautiful blooming trees surrounding the place and the sweet smells. Misao smiled and closed her eyes. She heard and felt Megumi picking up her dish and putting it in the house. Then she returned to sit next to Misao. "I want to take Kaoru-Chan out to see this!" Misao said suddenly.

Megumi looked at her and smiled a motherly smile. They looked at each other and slowly began to stand up when a sound made there head snap to the gate.

"SHUT UP YOU BRAT!"

"DON'T CALL ME BRAT! YOU ROOSTER HEAD!"

"SHUT UP CHIBIKKO!"

"Now, Now you two."

"_There back._" Megumi said softly and for some reason a brief fear swept over the two women.

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_Kaoru looked at her children playing with the others. Well all the children except for Kaoren. Her spot was next to Kaoru, setting up there afternoon tea. Her skillful small fingers set up the tea set easily. Kaoru looked over and smiled. Her episodes had started to cease. She hadn't had them in at least a week. Kenji still seemed a little shaken up from seeing his mother like that but had soon gotten over it when he had gotten to play with his little friends. _

_Yet, it seemed that out of all the young children only Kaoren seemed to recognize Kaoru's uncomfortable state at the moment. Kenshin was out with the men doing, well whatever. The other women had things to do so Kaoru had volunteered to watch the children. Everyone was a bit testy since they were afraid she might have another episode but decided that it was okay._

_"Thank you Kaoren-Chan. But don't you want to play with your brother and friends." Kaoru said softly as she took her tea. Kaoren shook her head silently and Kaoru smiled. Kaoren had always been the most unsocial Himura. Kaoru wrapped her arms around Kaoren. They stayed like that for a while. Just watching and sitting peacefully._

_"Mother, when you have your episodes. What do you see?" Kaoren suddenly said softly. Kaoru stiffened and tried to relax. _

_"Well, I really actually just hear things. People talking that's all. Don't worry your mother isn't going crazy!" Kaoru laughed softly but even she felt as if her words were a lie._

_"KAOREN PLAY WITH US! THERE OUT NUMBERING ME!" cried Kenji as he ran over and tugged on his sister's sleeves. Kaoru heard Kaoren sigh as the girl stood up and dusted of her kimono. _

_"Quiet, you're loud. You're disturbing mother and me." Kaoren stated but she clasped her small hand into her brothers and let him lead her into the field. Kaoru smiled but stiffened suddenly. She could still see everything yet. It looked as if she was watching pictures. _

**_"...ROOSTER HEAD!"_**

**_"SHUT UP CHIBIKKO!" _**

**_Tadaima."_**

_Her hand felt her forehead. She stood up and tried to shake it off but she couldn't. "Kaoren!" she called weakly and she could faintly hear the children, minus Kaoren of course, yell. She felt her self crumble to the ground and sensed Kaoren already at her side. _

_"Father! Kenji call Father!" Kaoren ordered. Kaoru slipped into nothingness. _

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"Tadaima." called Kenshin softly at the gate of the dojo. He swallowed hard as his violet eyes surveyed the yard. It had been so long since he had seen this place. So long since he had saw her. He hoped she wasn't that angry with him. Hoped that she didn't turn him away from the dojo.

"Hey! BUSU WERE BACK! COME GREET US BUSU!" yelled Yahiko loudly. Sano elbowed him on the head. Kenshin turned a sharp eye on Yahiko and he looked sheepishly to the ground muttering "sorry".

"Looks like you guys brought the brat with you." said a voice in distaste and teasingly. The men and boy turned to look at a certain woman.

"Hey Kitsune what are you doing here?" Sano said pointing rudely at Megumi.

"Shut up Tori-atama! Don't call me Kitsune." Megumi yelled and smack Sano on the head with a paper fan. Kenshin sighed inwardly with relief. If Megumi was here maybe Kaoru wasn't that mad.

"Hello Megumi-dono." Kenshin said softly and Megumi faced him and smiled. Unknown to the other two they hadn't caught on yet but Kenshin saw it. Megumi's eyes darted slightly nervously. She didn't meet there eyes and if she did her eyes would quickly leave and settle on something else.

"Hello Ken-san! Come in! Geez, it may be a nice day but don't you want something to drink or something?" Megumi said cheerfully. Sano noticed, a little too cheerfully.

Megumi meanwhile was holding back turmoil of emotions. Happiness, Sadness, Anger, everything crashed into each other. Keeping her mask on was a hard task for her since she wanted to yell at them, cry, and hug them. All at once. Instead she contained herself and yet she cried inside of her. She couldn't do anything and it hurt. She was afraid and it was annoying. She wanted to beat them but she couldn't because she loved them all so in her own way.

The guys stepped in and they made there way to the dojo. Were Megumi had them all sit in the front to drink there tea. "One second!" Megumi said and she disappeared into the house.

"Okay is it me or is something weird going on over here? Hey were Kaoru?" Yahiko wondered out loud and the two other's silently agreed.

"Eh, she's probably sulking or something. She'll come out soon." Sano said smirking and yet behind those words he had his doubts. Yahiko was right something weird was going on.

Suddenly the dojo doors slid open and there heads snapped to it. Almost hopefully but instead there faces turned to confusion and slight shock. Looking like a poacher caught poaching in a lord's private game was Makimachi Misao. Her back leaned to the dojo doors and she looked at them with wide eyes. Only Kenshin caught it but he heard her mutter "Damn Megumi didn't warn me!"

"Konnichiwa minna!" Misao said cheerfully smiling. Like Megumi she was acting a little too cheerful but that wasn't what threw them off. It was more of the question about why she was here and where was Aoshi?

"Hoi, weasel why are you here?" Sano called out and Misao's face turned red. In a fast speed she was next to him smacking him on the head.

"HOI, TORI-ATAMA DON'T CALL ME WEASEL!" She shouted and he glared.

"Whatever weasel!" He yelled back. The two were suddenly hit on the head by a pair of fists. Megumi stood next to Kenshin who was holding the tea cups and tea.

"You two, SHUT UP!" she yelled at them annoyed. They all laughed and started to chat but Kenshin slowly became silent.

"Megumi-dono, Misao-done. Where is Kaoru-dono?" He suddenly said breaking the conversation. The air became noticeably thick with tension. Misao gave him a stiff smile.

"She's sleeping right now in her room!" Misao lied. In truth Kaoru wasn't sleeping she was sitting quietly on the porch on the other side of the dojo. Misao didn't count it as really bad lying; it was more of a white lie. They were hoping for another day or so before...well they saw Kaoru.

"OI, The Busu should come and great us! I'll go wake her up!" Yahiko announced and before Megumi could protest or Misao could grab him he bolted towards the dojo doors which connected to the rooms.

The two women looked at each other and stood and ran after him. The two left over men sat there for a second then chased after them. Kenshin quickly surpassing them. Yahiko had already made his way across the dojo when he noticed the back of Kaoru.

"HOI BAKA BUSU!" yelled Yahiko with a hint of joy in his voice. When he saw she didn't react he reached over for her and shook her slightly, she didn't respond. Megumi and Misao looked away. Kenshin knelt next to Yahiko and Kaoru. Sano looked at the two girls confused.

"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin said softly and still she did not respond. Slowly as Yahiko backed away he turned her to face him. What stared back at his violet eyes made his heart slightly stop. Bottomless cold, emotionless sapphire eyes stared at him. No sparkle, no anything. Just cold darkness.

"What the hell's wrong with her?" Yahiko demanded turning angrily towards Megumi and Misao. Sighing the two looked at each other.

"She's not dead if you think that Ken-san." Megumi said softly as she noticed Kenshin's closed expression. "She's...well there is really no word. Sano do us a favor and bring her out. I guess it's time to explain what happened."

They paused but when Megumi gave them a sharp glare they did as she pleased. Kenshin, though, slowly got up and followed Yahiko out with his eyes covered. Sano picked up Kaoru and began taking her out. Misao directed him so he put Kaoru against the shoji doors. Kaoru was then fixed by Misao so her hands were in her lap and she was sitting up right.

"Alright, the first thing I have to tell you is that, Kaoru's mind is somewhere else." Megumi began her tale and they all sat quietly. The sounds of the birds had died down and everyone was quiet.

"What do you mean somewhere else? That doesn't make sense!" protested Yahiko but he was shushed by them.

"There is no other way to explain it. Though she lives, she doesn't." Megumi said looking across the field of the dojo. Her voice drifted around the place and the wind died down slightly.

"_What happened here?_" Kenshin thought as he listened to Megumi's tale.

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_**Fearful Sad violet eyes.**_

_**Dark with flecks of amber.**_

_**Whose eyes are these?**_

_Kaoru's eyes snapped open and her view was blurry. She felt very sick and the only thing she remembered was...violet eyes. With flecks of amber. They had scared her with the sadness she saw. Scared her with the fear in them. Those eyes, she knew them yet she didn't. They looked like her husbands but no...her husband didn't have eyes like that. HerKenshin's eyes were filled with silent joy. She knew that but she couldn't shake the feeling off. Maybe in the past his eyes where like that..._

_"Kaasan." came a quiet voice besides her but she didn't hear. Instead she was panicking. "Why can't I remember the past? I know who everyone one is so shouldn't I know the past." Kaoru thought to herself suddenly sitting up. Her hands began pounding against her temple. _

_"Okaasan stop! Now!" demanded Kaoren as she grabbed her mother's fists. Kaoru looked at her daughter strangely. Kaoren's bangs where flung back from her eyes revealing the dark violet eyes surrounded by sapphire and had amber flecks in them. Kaoru searched her daughter's eyes. At the same time she searched her own head for a memory. The memory of giving birth to this child. She couldn't remember. SHE COULDN'T REMEMBER. _

_Kaoru leaned onto the younger girl and began to sob. Quietly the young girl smothered down her mother's hair and for a short period took the role of the mother. "Shh...Otousan should be here soon." Kaoren said wrapping her small arms around her mother. _

_Kaoru closed her eyes and whimpered. She could hear the voices again and her grip tightened. "No! No!" she willed herself not to give into the darkness. Not to give into those eyes. Those sad eyes. _

_**"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!" **_

_**"Yahiko! STOP COME BACK!" **_

_**"Kaoru-dono..."**_

_She fell back into the darkness. _

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When Megumi had finished her tale the sun had began to dip. It wasn't exactly dusk yet but it was getting close. Silence filled the yard and everyone was silent. Yahiko suddenly got up, his eyes hooded. He muttered something. Then he muttered it again a little louder. Then he screamed it.

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!" Yahiko screamed angrily at Megumi. He was furiously trying to stop the tears in his eyes. He didn't want to believe her. Kaoru wasn't like that he reasoned with himself. Kaoru was strong! Just because they left didn't mean she would become this sad. Yet at the edge of his heart and mind was guilt. He didn't want to feel this. He threw down his cup of tea.

"I WON'T BELIEVE YOU!" He cried turning and running away. As fast as he could. The group of adults looked startled.

"YAHIKO! COME BACK!" Yelled Misao desperately. As she made her way to run after him an arm stopped her. She looked to see Megumi. Silent words passed between the two. Megumi got up and began going after Yahiko.

Misao sank to her knees and tried desperately to calm herself. She shook slightly. The two left over men sat there. None of them spoke, because what was there to speak about? What could they possibly speak about after that story? Misao after a few minutes calmed herself down enough to speak.

"S-sano c-could you please take, Kaoru inside. Its g-getting chilly." Misao said in a shaky voice. Sano bit his lip and nodded standing up.

"Why?" Sano suddenly muttered as he picked up Kaoru. She limply fell into his arms. The question was more directed towards Kaoru then anyone else but Misao was compelled to answer it.

"Because Kaoru hates loneliness...I think." Misao whispered softly to him. Sano's eyes snapped open for a second and he nodded. He took Kaoru and made his way into the dojo.

That left Kenshin and Misao on the porch. Kenshin's eyes where covered by his bangs. "Himura-san?" Misao said hesitantly reaching towards him.

"Let's go in Misao-dono. I believe it's beginning to rain." Kenshin swiftly getting up and entering the place with his eyes covered. True to his words a gentle mist of rain began falling. Misao shook suddenly and hugged herself.

* * *

_**Like a Porcelain doll she sits there.**_

_**With that blank expression on her face, **_

_**It's enough to make a warrior cry,**_

_**Just looking in her eyes.**_

_**Knowing she's alive but she isn't alive.**_

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A/N: I hope you like this chapter...Um I'll try updating sooner and such. In the next chapter you'll see more parts of Kaoru's fantasy. Also in the next part you'll see what happened between Yahiko and Megumi. Also you'll be able to see into the three men's heads and see how they each cope with Kaoru in their own way. Also I'm sorry if there was any spacing problems. won't seem to let my words in my story be seperated. 

10 Pages


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